Last month I wrote how progress has been slow.  Oh if I had known what August was to look like, I might have been more forgiving!  My wonderful foreman and his crew are from Romania.  Fabulous work ethic and culture, but August for them is a time to down tools and head home for a much deserved holiday. Evidently, when they return home, they actually then all work on their own or their families’ properties!  However, for me, it meant that throughout all that wonderful weather of August when the build could have flown up, I literally had one man and a hammer.

I headed off on holiday myself in mid-August and was promised that when I returned I would see the ground floor slab poured.  Sadly, I did not.  In fact what greeted me when I returned was pretty much what I had said goodbye to 2 weeks earlier.  Also, I have developed a strong and trusting relationship with Ruben, my foreman, and suddenly, my house, in whom I was pouring endless time and money was in the hands of a stranger – scary times.

Thankfully August passed and Ruben returned.  And with him a new sense of purpose and energy to get my build done.  Michael, my excellent Project Manager continued to supervise with his masterful watchful eye from the side lines.  Sometimes I could kiss them both!  So, within a matter of days, progress was underway again, the foundations were poured, and who knew … I started to have walls!  The elation that I felt when I headed to site one day and saw the superstructure coming out of the ground was immeasurable.  Suddenly my build felt real and I started to have a sense of the home we were creating.  I was promised real progress, which sadly stalled again whilst the drains were laid.  However, I am promised that in 2 weeks’ time, the main structure (minus the roof) will be there.

Interestingly, I find that I am becoming increasingly impatient.  Now that I can start to visualise what my house will look like, I find I want to be choosing tiles, carpets, wall treatments, and seeing the home that I have been dreaming of for 2 years now (not counting the 20 or so years before of wanting to build my own home) come to life.  Instead, I am still knee deep in the boring bits of drains, window edgings and bricks!  That last bit I thought was all sorted, as I had placed my order, paid the full amount, and was awaiting delivery.  But it seems that even if you have done this, the company can hike their prices by 35%.  That seems all wrong to me – I would take them tomorrow if they had them, but I am patiently waiting for them to make them, and now having to pay more.

So my key learnings this month?

  • If you have an Eastern European work force, expect to see them all disappear during probably the warmest of our months.
  • When your foundations go down, do not be disappointed by the floor size – it looks tiny, but it will not be!
  • The bit that you think will be really fun – choosing bathrooms, kitchen, curtains, etc, is a long, long way down the process, and there is some really, really dull stuff before you get there. But it’s really important so pay attention!

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